Using Aeon Minimote to Dim / Brighten

Very new to SmartThings; greatly appreciate any guidance the community can provide…

I have a room with a built-in overhead light and 2 lamps. I would like to control all with with a remote control (like the minimote) to press to turn on / off and press and hold to dim up / dim down.

If I include the lamp controllers in the SmartThings network and use the Button Controller Smartapp, the press and hold on the minimote registers as a single event (not a hold and release when you get to the level you want).

The minimote advertises being able to do press and hold to dim up / dim down, and I have been able to get that to work by directly associating? the remote with the lamp controller. In this situation, however, the lamp controller is not visible to SmartThings for control through other means.

Is there a way to do what I am thinking? Perhaps with a product other than the minimote?

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I’m not an expert either, but I’ve only been able to set the minimote up to execute a routine. For example, I have 3 separate routines tied to dim levels, 10%, 50%, and 100% for the specific lights i want to dim. For any level in between, i’ll use the app, or smarttiles… which doesn’t happen often.

I just got my minimize and don’t have it fully set up yet but I didn’t use the button smart app. If you are willing to try Rule Machine I think you could set up the following…

Depending on how many buttons you want to take up on the minimote there are several different ways to do this.

For example create a trigger for button 1 to set the dimmer to 99. (Or any starting point you want).

Then create a separate trigger, this one with conditions, for button 2 to dim by 5% per push. The condition being dimmer level >6%. ( use any dim rate that you like just keep the condition so that it never goes negative.)

That minimizes the button usage since if it is too dim you just hit button 1 then re-dim.

Of course if you want a button to brighten just set a trigger for button 3 to increase by x% per push with condition of less than 100%.

I think that would work but like I said I haven’t tried it yet.

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You should be able to connect both the minimote and lamp controller to ST, then do the direct association and maintain control in ST via both. Direct association also has the benefit of working even if ST or your internet is down.

You might be able to create a custom device handler for the minimote to register press and hold as a continuous button press. Currently the press and hold is only one “event”, so it can’t do what you’re asking.

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I modified the Scene Controller app when I got my minimote. I made three new functions you can assign buttons to. One for increasing brightness by 25% with each press, one for dimming, and one that will cycle through 10% - 66% - 100% - 66% - 10% brightness levels.

You can create a custom sequential dim action in your minimote’s smartapp logic then define, button press 3 to dim the light by a certain %, and button 4, to increase by the same amount.

If you want an example of a sequential dim logic in a SmartApp (I have’t finalized the app, but you’re welcome to it).

Kyse’s Remote Controller SmartApp
https://github.com/kyse/SmartThingsPublic/tree/master/smartapps/kyse/kyses-remote-controller.src

Thank you for all the replies. I have been unable to get direct association to work as mentioned by @Sticks18. My next step is to try the updated controller app provided by @Kyse. Thanks!!!

If anyone has other hardware suggestions, I’d be open to those as well. Fundamentally, I just want a controller that allows me to easily dim up / dim down a set of lamps in a room just like you would be able to do with a regular wall dimmer and that integrates to ST.

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@pfleisch, I’m trying to accomplish the same.
Were you able to find a different remote or the get yours to dim the lamps as expected?